Navigation

Modern Family cast reach contract agreement

Story by Jack Foley

product

THE cast of Modern Family have reportedly reached a contract agreement that allows work on the new season to begin as normal on Monday (July 30, 2012).

According to Variety, the actors – Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Eric Stonestreet and Sofia Vergara – have agreed to give Fox an additional eighth season of the show in exchange for more money, which reflects the show’s success on ABC and in syndication.

They will also drop the lawsuit filed against the studio on Tuesday.

Variety also believes that the actors will each receive one-quarter of a point in back-end shares, which would see a profit-related boost to their incomes based on the assumption that the show is poised to gross many hundreds of millions.

Hence, the actors’ weekly pay will see a rise from mid five figures to low six figures from now, the start of the upcoming fourth season, with escalators built in for subsequent seasons.

This could see them taking home as much as $350,000 per episode in the show’s eighth season, according to sources.

For co-star Ed O’Neill, who entered into the negotiations after the initial lawsuit was filed, his salary will be pretty much in line with his co-stars (having previously been a lot more), but he will receive significantly more in back-end participation.

Welcoming the news, series co-creator Steve Levitan told The Hollywood Reporter: “It’s no surprise, but I’m of course thrilled and I cannot wait to get on stage Monday morning and start making the show again.

“It’ll feel great, I’m sure everybody is going to be very relieved and I hope that it’s the beginning of a great season. I feel really good about it. I’m very happy for my friends on the cast for their success, I really am.”

The pay negotations were brought about by cast members who were keen to see their work in helping to get the show to become one of the world’s most popular, and a consistent award winner, reflected in their pay.

In 2011, for example, Modern Family generated $164 million in advertising revenue for ABC, a rise of 40% on the previous year.